Pace NYC Students Reflect on the Interactions between “Real World” and Simulation

Pace student Inemesit Essien represents Vanuatu in a simulation of the United Nations General Assembly Third Committee at the 2015 National Model UN conference in New York City. Photo: NMUN.

Pace University New York City students were recognized with seven awards at the National Model United Nations conference (NMUN NY), 22-26 March, which drew some 2,500 undergraduates from around the world to New York.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the conference, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told students he was “energized by this dynamic gathering” and its “serious discussions” on “cutting-edge issues on the international agenda.”

“You are not just leaders of the future – you can start to lead right now,” he told them, “now is the time for your generation to build human solidarity around the world.”

Model UN is a simulation of diplomacy, negotiation and decisionmaking by international organizations. Students play the role of diplomats from Member States of the UN and discuss issues at the top of the global policymaking agenda. NMUN NY is one of the biggest undergraduate Model UN conferences in the world.

Pace NYC students are taught to think critically about their involvement in Model UN and not to see it simply as a “game” or “competition.” The issues being discussed are some of the most sobering global concerns and Pace students seek to represent their countries faithfully and considerately.

For example, Pace students had to think carefully about how to respectfully represent Vanuatu only days after it was hit by the devastating Cyclone Pam. As part of their preparation, they had been reading about the alarming potential impacts of climate change on the South Pacific island states like Vanuatu and so were sensitive to the challenges it faced.

Pace students Sherin Shetty (left) and Amandine Tristani (right), displaying their Outstanding Position Paper award at the end of the 2015 National Model United Nations conference in New York City. Photo: Shade Quailey.

“Model UN gave me valuable insights into what a career in diplomacy is really about,” said Amandine Tristani, who was, along with her delegation partner Sherin Shetty, was recognized with an Outstanding Position Paper award for their representation of Vanuatu in a simulation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

“I got to meet people from all over the world and get new interesting perspectives,” said Amandine. “But Model UN also enabled me to understand that being introvert is not necessarily a defect in politics. We have valuable skills that are complementary to others and can bring new perspectives to negotiating and writing resolutions.”

Vanuatu’s relationship to its environment was also under consideration in the simulation of the UN General Assembly Second Committee, which deals with economic and financial issues. Izabella Kaminski and Klaudia Remiszewska were recognized with an Outstanding Position Paper award for their explication of Vanuatu’s call for a “Green Economy”, gender equality and consideration of climate change-induced migration.

Izabella Kaminski (center) at the 2015 National Model United Nations conference Opening Ceremony in New York City. Photo: NMUN.

“Participating in Model UN was one of the most original and immersive educational experiences that I have ever had,” said Jason Davis, who with his delegation partner Nicholas Casanova, represented Albania in the General Assembly Second Committee simulation. “While the preparation process was challenging and required us to carefully analyze our respective nations’ political positons, it allowed us to place ourselves in the shoes of people other than ourselves.”

While real world events reshaped students’ engagement with the simulation, Pace NYC students were also surprised to find that actual policymakers were paying attention to their work as they discussed the dangers of autonomous robotics weapons or “killer robots”.

The simulation of the UN General Assembly First Committee, which deals with disarmament and international security, passed resolutions calling on states to ban such weapons that would select and engage targets without “meaningful human control.”

States meeting at the actual UN this April in Geneva are considering these very issues and so the NMUN NY resolutions were publicized by non-governmental organizations seeking a strong humanitarian ban on killer robots.

Pace students Latrelle Gray Jones-Booker and Syuyumbika Galimova display their Outstanding Position Paper award at the 2015 National Model United Nations conference in New York City. Photo: NMUN.

“Attending NMUN NY helped solidify my career goals of working within the international community,” said Latrelle Gray Jones-Booker, who along with her delegation partner Syuyumbika Galimova, received an Outstanding Position Paper award for their careful analysis of Albania’s foreign policy on autonomous weapons systems, biological weapons and confidence-building mechanisms.

“This opportunity gave me the realization that international bodies such as the UN can make profound differences, and I want to be a part of making those differences,” said Latrelle.

Pace student Yasmine Coccoli, representing Vanuatu in the United Nations General Assembly Room during the 2015 National Model UN conference in New York City. Photo: Inemesit Essien.

Also examining the potential negative implications of digital technology were Yasmine Coccoli and Inemesit Essien, who represented Vanuatu in a simulation of the UN General Assembly Third Committee, which deals with social, cultural and humanitarian issues. They received an Outstanding Position Paper award for their analysis of the right to digital privacy, the rights of indigenous peoples and eliminating discrimination and xenophobia.

“The world is becoming increasingly diverse and the policies that are implemented affect such a wide array of people,” said Inemesit. “NMUN NY has taught me to be calculated in my actions and with my words. It is a wonderful conference where I have learned to be diplomatic, expand my network, and made lifelong friends.”

Two Pace NYC students, Oleh Puryshev ‘16 and Annie Stishov ‘18, were also assigned to represent Rwanda in a simulation of the UN Security Council and were awarded an Outstanding Position Paper award. They were challenged to respond to interruptions that were intended to make the simulation feel more realistic.

Pace student Oleh Puryshev (center) with other students in the simulation of the UN Security Council at the 2015 National Model United Nations conference in New York City. Photo: NMUN.

“The Security Council was the only committee that had to deal with crises in real time,” said Oleh. “This was a unique experience, the delegates themselves were better prepared and took it more seriously.”

The Pace NYC Model United Nations students in the UN General Assembly Room after the Closing Ceremony of the 2015 National Model UN conference in New York City.

“The Model UN program at Pace has long been a highly effective program,” said Dr. Nira Herrmann, Dean of Dyson College. “The skills and knowledge students gain from the program can influence the rest if their lives. Through my interactions with alumni over the years, I have been impressed by the enormous positive influence this program has had on shaping their lives and even their choice of profession.”